Diaper



July 7, 1942. E. M. ELOFSON 2,288,893

DIAPE R Filed No v 10, 1941 INVENTOR. 14 m I'M/l rm in 0/30;

V BY 4 Z 4 ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 7, 1942 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE DIAPER Emily M. Elofson, Indianapolis, Ind. Application November 10, 1941, Serial No. 418,503

8 Claims.

This invention relates to diapers, and has for its general object improvements therein, especially improvements which are advantageous with respect to the manner of applying the diapers and which make for neatness of appearance and excellence of fit, in the diapers as worn.

While a diaper is a relatively simple garment, the nature of its use imposes on it certain requirements. It must be capable of being applied in an easy and simple manner. capable of variation in size to suit it during the period of its use to relatively large changes in the size of the child which wears it. In meeting these two requirements, it must also be comfortable and must desirably be of neat appearance. It must be absorbent, and its application must dispose ample thicknesses of material in those locations where greatest absorbency is required and must at the same time avoid bulkiness. Moreover, it must be easily washable, and is desirably of such nature that it dries quickly.

One diaper which meets these conditions to a substantial extent and is in quite common use, is a rectangular piece of cloth approximately 21 inches by 40 inches, and formed of two thicknesses of thin material interwoven at its edges to form marginal areas of a single but heavier thickness. By reason of its thinness, such diaper washes easily and dries quickly, and its shape lends itself to various folds. It is commonly folded lengthwise, on transverse fold-lines, to form a panel Whose length is equal to the original width of the piece of material, and whose width is from a third to a fifth the original length of the piece of material. When so folded, the diaper is applied with its original width dimension extending lengthwise of the childs body. This folding necessarily changes during ,the course of use, to suit the change in size of its wearer. Since this folding must produce a dimension of approximately half the waist measurement of the child, the folding is somewhat critical, and it can not be changed as it is being put on the child. Thus, it inevitably requires considerable guesswork in its folding, even though in some cases it is marked to indicate convenient fold-lines, and it often results in a garment which is neither comfortable nor neat.

Moreover, this and most other diapers are fastened in place with pins, the one just referred to usually being fastened with four pins. The use of pins involves an element of danger, in the possibility of sticking the child and in the possibility of the childs obtaining possession of a pin and putting it in its mouth.

It must be It is the object of my invention to produce a diaper which has the advantages of easy washing and quick drying, which can be applied without the use of pins, which will have a good fit and a neat appearance and maybe applied in an easy and simple manner, and which will be inexpensive to manufacture. I accomplish these objects by using a rectangular piece of cloth such as that referred to above, and by supplying that piece of cloth with certain supplemental portions by which it can be easily and simply tied in place to produce a neat-appearing and well-fitting garment.

The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention. In such drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic View showing how the supplemental portions are desirably cut; Fig. 2 is a view showing the relative positions of the several pieces of a diaper embodying my invention, before they are actually sewed together; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but with pieces sewed together; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the diaper as a garment in the form it takes when applied to a child; and Figs. 5 and 6 are sections showing two of the possible ways in which the diaper may be folded.

The diaper shown in the drawings has as its main body a rectangular piece of cloth CDEF, approximately 21 inches by 40 inches. Desirably, this rectangular piece of cloth is of the same type as the diaper above referred to as in common use, and has a double-thickness central portion with common single-thickness edges. Indeed, it may conveniently be one of such diapers. It is suitably folded, as on its longitudinal center line, to form a panel Ill approximately 10 inches wide and 40 inches long. To

each side edge II and I2 of this panel there is secured, as by sewing, a supplemental portion l3. Each supplemental portion I3 is generally in the form of a figure '7, with a horizontal arm l4 and a diagonal arm I5 which makes an angle with the horizontal arm of the order of 60. The horizontal arm 14 is a waist-band tie. Desirably, it is approximately an inch wide at its free end and gradually increases in width toward its base, so that it forms a tie of substantial body which can be washed without tangling and can be easily tied and untied. The diagonal arm [5 is a leg band. It is quite wide at its base and tapers to a width of approximately one inch at its free end. It is joined to the horizontal leg or waistband tie I 4 for a considerable distance along that waistband tie. It is secured to the edge II or l2 of the panel I 0 over a similar considerable distance from the upper corner of the panel l0.

Desirably, the supplemental portions 13 are formed of integral pieces of cloth, and may desirably be cut from the same material as the panel l8, and from pieces the same size as that panel 10. This cutting is shown in Fig. 1, in which two of the pieces I3 are laid out on a rectangle one-quarter the size of the piece of material which constitutes the panel Ill. the material for the diapers may be formed in their weaving to pieces suitable for the panel l0, and the portions l3 can be cut from extra ones of those same pieces. It is to be noted that the portions 53 interfit so that in their cutting there i is a minimum of waste.

However the portions [3 are made, it is desirable that the waistband .ties M .be straightcut, so that they extend in the direction of .the

threads of the material, and that the leg bands {1 15 be bias cut. This gives .a desirable firmness to the Waistband and permits'the leg band to be yieldable.

Those edges it of theportions 53 which are to be sewed to the panel H] are :desirably cut to form a shallow V, for this tends to avoid. concentrating the pull=of the waistband at the extreme upperedgethereof, andspreads'that pull over a considerable :area in the portions 53 and inthe panel I 0.

In addition to the-waistbandztie M and the leg band l5, the .portion 13 has a short extension H adjacent the edge Hi. This extension ii serves as a reinforcement, for it Carries the seam by. whichthe pieces :are joined past the lower edge of the leg band 5 to avoid concentrating strain at the end ofthe seam.

In ad'ditionto'the portions Hi there are ties E8 secured to the panel fie, desirably by the same seam whichsecures the portions :53, and lecated {if just above the extensions of the portions 13. It is thus apparent that the several pieces of the diaper may be assembledwith buttwo seams, although it isof course .necessary to do some additional sewing in order to bind or hem the 5 edges of the portions i3 and the ties !8.

While the preferred form of my diaper has a two-layer panel l0 folded from the double size rectangular piece of cloth .CDEF, the panel it may be of a single layer. shown in Fig. 2, the edge 12 of :the panel lti is a folded edge, while the edge ll of the panel it is'formed by the two overlyingedges of the original piece of material. In sewing a portion 53 and a tie it to this double-layer edge M of the 5:

panel 12, the seam'is made with only one of the two layers of the panel HI, so that the panel it may be unfolded to a single layer, to give the desirable thinness of material for easy washing and quick drying.

In preparing the diaper as shown in Fig. 3 fer use, the double-layer panel it is "folded length.- wise to a length suitable for the child who is to wear it. For a small child, this folding may be on two fold linesfirst onfoldline AA and then on the fold line 'B-B, so that in section the panel appears as shown in Fig.5. This gives an outer double layer 2i extending from the waistband edge 2! to the fold linejBB; an inner double layer 22 extending from the fold line BB to the fold line AA, and which may be slightly shorter than the layer 2'6; and an intermediate double layer which extends from the fold line AA to the free edge 23. This intermediate layer will cover anarea where added thickness is desirable,

Thus,

In the preferred form Lil although it is not co-extensive with the other two layers. For a large child, a single fold may be made, with the fold line approximately half way between the ends 2| and 23 of the panel Iii. Variations of these folding arrangements will of course be obvious, for the length of the diaper in its folded position as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 should be such that when it is put on a child, the lower fold, as BB in Fig. 5, may be brought upwardly between the legs of the child and will lie at the waist of the child. But this length is not especially critical, as will be explained.

If desired, a layer of rubberized material may be inserted inside the outermost layer of the diaper, as between the two layers of the outer double layer 29 and coextensive with that outer layer 20.

With the panel ill folded as in Figs. 5 and 6 the diaper may be put on a child to form a garment like that illustrated (somewhat diagrammatically) in .Fig. l. 'In this garment, and referring to .both Figs. l and 5, the upper edge 2! of the panel It lies at the extreme rear. Immediately inside this'edge 2! lies the folded edge AA. At the front of the garment at the waistline lies .the fold edge BB. The supplemental portions i3 secured at the edges of the outer layer 2! extend ,around the sides to overlie the material adjacentto' the fold edge BB, and the waistband ties-i l are tied together. Desirably, the fold B-'B, at least over its center portion, extends somewhat abovelthe Waistband ties M. The leg bands f5 extend inwardly and downwardly, and around the legs in the oppositedirection from the layer 230i the panel, to a point adjacent'the ties 88, to which the ends of the leg bands l5 are tied. This tying'is done at the sides of the garment and of the-child, in readily accessible locations where the tyings are in little danger of becoming wet. The edges of the layers 2fl'22 extend slightly beyond'th leg bands 15, so that those edges are held by the leg bands in proper position.

Because the diaper is held on bythe ties i i and by the leg bands 15, the 'width of the panel Hi need not be changed as ithe child grows larger, and there is no necessity for having the width of that panel of any particular dimension so that it will form a proper waistband. .As a result, the width of the panel is not critical, and the unchangeable width shown can be satisfactorily used. Moreover, the length of the panel after its folding is not overly critical, fer the amount of material at the :front edge 13-13 of that folded panel which extends beyond the ties may vary considerably without loss-of neatness or comfort. In addition, it is :entirely convenient and possible to change the length of the folded panel during the process of putting the diaper on a child.

Theldiaper is easily applied and simple to use, and requires no guesswork folding. It is secured in place with but three tyings, all of which are readilyaccessible without turning the child. The resulting garment is firmly held in place and is of neat appearance.

I claim asmy invention:

1. A diaper, comprising a relatively long narrow panel of a plurality.ofthicknesses of material folded from a rectangular bcdy and capable of being unfolded, supplemental portions joined to the side edge'sof said panel at one end thereof, a

each of said'supplem'ental portions comprising a waist-band tie and a leg-band extending diagonally downward from the junctur'e of said tie with said panel, said leg-band'being of substantial width at its base, tapered toward its free end, and joined to both said tie and the side edge of said panel over a considerable distance from r the corner of said panel, a side tie for said leg band adjacent the panel-side of the base thereof, said panel being adapted to be folded lengthwise to suit the intended wearer.

2. A diaper, comprising a, relatively long narrow panel, supplemental portions joined to the side edges of said panel at one end thereof, each of said supplemental portions comprising a waistband tie and a leg-band extending diagonally downward from the juncture of said tie with said panel, said leg-band being of substantial width at its base, tapered toward its free end, and joined to both said tie and the side edge of said panel over a considerable distance from the corner of said panel, a side tie for said leg band adjacent the panel-side of the base thereof, said panel being adapted to be folded lengthwise to suit the intended wearer.

3. A diaper as defined in claim 2, in which each supplemental portion is an integral piece of material.

4. A diaper as defined in claim 2, in which each supplemental portion is an integral piece of material and said waist-band ties are straightcut and said leg-bands are bias-cut.

5. A diaper as defined in claim 2, in which the edge of each supplemental portion which is sewed to the panel is cut to form a shallow V so that the pull on said waist-tie reacts on said panel over an area of considerable width.

6. A diaper as defined in claim 1, in which the panel is formed by folding the rectangular body on its longitudinal center line, one supplemental portion is joined to said panel at said center line, and the other supplemental portion is joined to one edge of said rectangular body, to leave said body free to be unfolded.

'7. A diaper, comprising a panel of a plurality of thicknesses of material adapted to be applied to a child with its upper end at the back of the childs waist and its other end at the front of the childs waist, waist-ties to extend from the edges of said upper end around the childs waist and over the said panel other-end and to be secured together at the childs waist-front, leg bands secured to said panel upper-end and said waist-ties to extend from front to rear between the childs legs and there-around, and means at the sides of the diaper for securing the free ends of the leg bands, whereby said leg bands hold intermediate portions of said panel against the legs of the child.

8. A diaper comprising a rectangular panel adapted to be applied to a child with its upper end at the back of the child's waist and its other end at the front of the childs waist, waist-band forming means secured to the edges of said upper end and overlying said other end of the panel, leg bands secured to the edges of said upper end and to said waist-band means to extend inward and from front to rear between the childs legs and therearound, and means for fastening the ends of said leg-bands at the sides of the diaper, whereby said leg bands hold intermediate portions of the panel close around the legs of the child.

EMILY M. ELOFSON. 

